Railway signaling.



S. D. STROHM.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1891.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

7 SHEETS-$HEET 1.

"15 NORRIS PETERS pa WASNINcYnN, c. c.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

7 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

was Mamas rsrsas co., wasnmarou, n. c

S. D. STROHM. RAILWAY SIGNALING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29, 1891.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

7 SHEETSSHEET 3v TH: mmlus RETERS cm, ivasnmarumaa S. D. STROHM.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29, 1891.

91 6,89 6'. Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

1w: NORRIS PETERS cm, wxsnmemu, 0. c4

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

INVENTOR {*iTNESSES rm: mmms PETERS can, \wusumanm, n. c.

s'. 1). STROHM. RAILWAY SIGNALING. APPLIOATION' FILED AUG. 29, 1891.

' Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

7 SHEETS-SHEET INVENTOR THE NORRIS PETERS cu., wnsnmamu, n. c

S. D. STEOHM.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1891.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

'7 SHEETS-SHEET '7.

THE mamas F Erzns co., WASHINGTON, a q

UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

@AMUEL D. sraoun, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNQR or ONE-EIGHTH o JOSEPH F. KRAYER, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

No. 916,896. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented March 30, 1909.

Application filed August 29, 1891. Serial No. 404,147.

To all whom it may concern: contact-plates and part of magnetic appur- Be it known that I, SAMUEL D. STaonM, tenances for the stations; Figs. 8, 11 and 13 citizen of the United States, residing at are diagrammatic views showing station ap- Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia purtenances and semaphore actuating mechand State of Pennsylvania, have invented anism in circuit therewith and engine or certain new and useful Improvements in motor-car equipped in modified form in ac- Railway Signaling; and I do hereby declare .cordance with my invention; Figs. 9 and 10 the following to be a full, clear, and exact are sectional elevations of solenoids and core description of the invention, such as will actuating mechanism for the stations; Fig.

10 enable others skilled in the art to which it 12 is a detailed view of modification of appertains to make and use the same. power supply controlling mechanism and Fly invention has relation principally to signal light in the engine or motor-car; Fig. controlling the engines or trains of rail- 1% is a longitudinal section of circuit breakways, and particularly electrically propelled ers for the station magnetic appliances and 5 cars to prevent collisions, by means of stasemaphore actuating devices shown in Figs. tion electro magnetic appurtenances in cir- S-11 and 13; Fig. 15 is an end elevation of cuit connection with contact-plates located one of the members of one of said circuit beside or adjacent to the track-rails, and of breakers; Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic view motor-car or train electromagnetic applipartly sectional, showing engine with elec- 20 ances having contact brushes and circuit tric motor and regulating and reversing connections controlling the motive power lever with magnetic appliances, shifting consupply for t is engine or motor-car, and has tact brushes and circuit connections; Fig. 17 further relation to the same when it is prois a plan showing station contact plates and vided or combined with electrically actuated part of shifting mechanism for the engine 5 semaphores located at the stations and actubrushes; Fig. 18, is a like view of modificaated simultaneously with the magnetic aption of some; Fig. 19, a similar view of purtenances for controlling the train or still another modification; and Fig 20 shows motor-car, the same actuating in either diditlerent forms of roller or movable surface rection of movement of the passing cars or contact plates and brushes.

3 trains. A represents an engine or motor-car in My invention has for its principal object Figs. 1 to 5, which I will first describe. Such the provision of electrically actuated applicar is provided with an electric motor a ances on the electric motor-car or train for having its supply by means of a single wire controlling the power supply for the motor, a and trolley a by way of circuit 11 and 35 thereby dispensing with sliding or movable ground 12 through the axles and wheels of 9 bars contacting with elevations or inclines the car, see Fig. 1 or by a return metallic located adjacent to the track-rails and also circuit as indicated in Fig. 2, and is prowith electric generators separate from the vided with any suitable regulating and remotive power for the engine or motor car. versing lever or device 13, see more plainly 40 lily invention accordingly consists of the Fig. 16. Said car is also provided with combinations constructions, and arrangemagnets b and Z) having armature levers b ments of parts as hereinafter described in the and b respectively and separate brushes C specification and pointed out in the claims. C and a pair of brushes C C in line with teference is had to the accompanying each other. The clrcuit 11 includes an 45 drawings, where1n electrical switch D, the lever of which may Figures 1, 2, 3, st and 5 are diagrammatic be a part of armature lever b and having views of station electro-magnetic appurtecontact points (Z (Z and (Z The circuit 1 l nances, and an electrically propelled car is by way of switch contact (Z and switch equipped with a form of magnetic applilever to contact (l, thence to the motor a to 50 ances in accordance with my invention, ground or return wire for supplying power showing successive contacts of the car to the motor for propelling the car. The brushes with the station contact-plates; Fig. purpose of the ground connection is to put 6, is a like view showing a steam or other the brake in circuit. From circuit 11 in power propelled engine or motor-car; Fig. advance of the motor, leads a branch or 55 T is a diagrammatic View showing station shunt circuit 2'2 having a resistance box 5g eicgsee E with actuating lever and including magnet b, armature lever 5 contact plate 6* for said armature lever b and brush 0 said armature lever having a retracting spring Z) to move it into contact with plate 5* when the magnet b is not active. From circuit 2-2 leads a branch or shunt circuit 33 including magnet Z) and brush C and brushes G C Figs. 1 to 6 are connected by a wire 4. The resistance box E and lever a are used to control the supply of current to the engine and station appurtenances.

If desired the armature and switch lever b may control an electric lamp signal f included in a. shunt or branch 55 from circuit 2-2 and grounded through 12, by means of an electric switch d attached to lever 25 and contact (Z of circuit 5-5, as shown in Fig. 1, or by means of a drop signal or bar f controlled by lever 5 and when free to do so bridging the two contacts d of circuit 5 5, as indicated in Fig. 8. If desired, lever may control the drop signal or semaphore f, as shown in said last named figure, or as indicated in Fig. 1.

The station magnetic appliances shown in Figs. 1 to 5 are constructed and operate as follows: M, N and N represent the station electro-magnets, preferably in the form of solenoids as shown having sliding cores. The solenoids N N have a common core a and the solenoid M has a core m. The cores a m are mounted in suitable frames 0 p respectively and have retracting springs 0 p and adjustable governing bars 0 p abutting against stops 0 p on the frames 0 p to limit the range of motion of the cores when electrically moved. A diskh of insulating ma terial having a contact pin h of conducting material is arranged to one side of the solenoids M N and said disk is mounted on and revolves with one section of the shaft 71 A contact collar i is carried on a shaft m and on said collar 2' is carried a contact finger 2" which is adapted to contact with the pin it and the shaft m is caused to revolve in one direction by means of a ratchet wheel m with which engages a dog m carried by solenoid core at. A shaft n which is journaled atone end in a stationary frame of, passes through the shaft m but turns freely therein and the shaft m is journaled at one end in a stationary frame at, so that the shafts while in alinement are free to turn independently one of the other. The shaft 11 carries an insulating collar 11. upon which is fastened a. contact finger is that is adapted to contact with the pin It. The contact finger 79 has a bushing of conducting material upon which bears a brush c and the contact finger 2" has a bushing 2' upon which bears a brush 2' The shaft a is caused to revolve in the same direction as the shaft m by means of a ratchet wheel a with which engages a dog a carried by solenoid core n. The station circuit 88 leading to ground 29, passes through the brushes 7& 2' and the contact fingers is i and when these fingers are in contact with the pin it the circuit is closed to ground, but when one of said fingers is out of contact with the pin it the circuit is broken. The operation of these parts is as follows. When the solenoid N has been energized by the passage of a current through its coils, it draws in its core n and when said current ceases to flow through the coils the core is driven out by the force of a spring Z which has been compressed by the inward ment .of the core and this outward movement of the core causes the shaft a to revolve a single step, through the action of the dog a on ratchet wheel 11 thus moving the pin /1. and the cont ct finger 70 one step away from the contact finger. i The passage of a current through the coils of solen oid .M operates in the same manner to advance the contact finger 2" through the movement of its core m and dog at and thus the contact finger i is caused to follow step by step the movement of pin 71, and contact finger it" until such time as by the cessation of movement of the pin it and contact finger is, the contact finger 2" comes into contact with the pin 71. and reestablishes circuit of line 8 8 to ground 7).

At each station in the type of devices shown in Figs. 1 to 7 is a set of four contact plates G G G G for contact with the engine or car brushes when moving in one direction and another set of like number of plates G G Gr Gr reversely arranged, shown in Fig. 7 for contact with said brushes when the engine or car is moving in an opposite direction, said brushes being antomatically or otherwise shifted from one set to the other as the engine or car reverses its direction of motion. The plates G G and G of each set are in line and the other brushes of a set are out of line. From plates G G of a station leads a circuit 88 to solenoid N and circuit breaker H when closed to ground 2), and from plates G Gr a circuit 6-6 to solenoid N to ground 7); and from plates G G a circuit 7-7 to solenoid M to said ground see Fig. 7. These circuits may connect to magnetic appurtenances of the same-or distant stations as desired. A train or motor-car approaching a station in the direction of arrow at, Fig. 1 has its magnetic appurtenances in circuit as shown in Fig. 1 and the circuit breaker 1-1 of the station is closed to safety ground. Engine brushes C C contact with their respec' tive plates G G G and brushes C C with plate G The engine circuit 3-3 is first grounded through G C station circuit 8-8 by way of solenoid N and circuit breaker H, said solenoid and engine magnet b are rendered active and the latter attracts its armature I)" to break the engine circuit 2-2 or cut out magnet Z) which is then not active, see Fig. 2, and the train or car passes on, the solenoid core a 'ineanwhile acting to open the circuit b'reairer H to break ground 19 for station circuit 88 for a following train, which if it reaches said station before the circuit breaker H restored or reestablished the contact of its brush C with plate G finds no ground through engine circuit 3-3, the magnet 6 does not then attract its armature '5 and the engine magnet circuit 2- 2 finding a ground through brush C plate G brush C wire t, to brush C and contact plate G and station circuit 6-6 to ground energizes solenoid N and magnet i), then the latter a'ctuates switch lever to make contact with plates (Z (Z to cut the motor out of the circuit.1-1 to stop the train, meanwhile the solenoid core a has again acted to still farther open or step the membcrs of the circuit breaker away from each other, and such successive stepping of such members apart is effected by each passing train arriving at such station.

in passing out of a block or section the engine or car brush C contacting with plate G closes the engine circuit 3-3 to ground through the station circuit 7-7 to actuat solenoid M at a distant station, and its core at inov to actuate or step the members o" the circuit breaker H toward each other one step at a time, each such passing train making such men'ibers move one step together until the last train passing off of the block closes the circuit breaker and restores or re establishes station circuit 8-8 for a safety ground for following trains. it will be noted therefore that in the type of appliances described, the engine brush C finds a station ground indicating safety ahead and causes a rupture of such ground as it passes a station, and if such ground is not made by said brush the engine is stopped but another ground by way of brushes C C wire 4t and brush C is made for actuating the circuit break r H, as set forth. The use of the last named brushes C C C avoids the necessity of having sliding or movable bars with shoes for contact with inclines or elevations on plates located. adjacent to the track-rails.

Fig. 6 shows the miniature lever B controlling the cut-off g of a steam or other engine or motor and also the engineers valve 9', of an air brake system, the same being applicable for all motor cars.

As shown in Figs. 8, 11 and 13, the electric brake mechanism comprises a solenoid 5 supported by the car and having a sliding core f, on the end of which is mounted a brake shoe 9', to contact with a car wheel. 1 spiral spring g surrounds the rear end of the core and abuts against a stationary bar The solenoid is in circuit 1, 1 and when this circuit is closed by conditions herein described requiring the car to be stopped, the core g is projected forward and the brake shoe applied to the wheel.

In. Figs. 8, 11 and 13 is shown a modified of station and engine appurtenances wherein only three contact plates G G G for a set are used at a station, and only two en ine brushes C, C are required, and furl a .mapliore T ateach station has a solenoid or magnet t with core 5 for raising the semaphore to danger, a locking lever t for holding it in its danger position, and a magnet for releasing said locking lever and pern'iitting the semaphore to set itself in safety position; the solenoid t being included in the station circuit 8-8, the magnet 25 in circuit 7-7, the latter of which is provided with a circuit breaker L and the circu t S8 with a corresponding breaker H a 1011f udinal section of same being shown in Fig. 1 1, and an end elevation of one of the members of breaker L being illustrated in Fig. 15.

The station appurtenances shown in Figs. 8, 11 and 18 are a modified form of those shown in Figs. 1, 2, and atand are adapted not only to make and break circuit for the engine appurtenances but also to operate a semaphore i the station and 1 will now proceed to cescribe the same. In this form of station appurtenances the solenoid M is arranged on opposite side of the circuit breaker to the solenoids N, N and instead of propelling the ratchet wheel by pushing it, the dog on core at is so constructed that it will pull the ratchet around toward the solenoid. in addition to the pin it and contact fingers 2" 7c and their brushes the apparatus shown in Figs 8, 11 and 12 and in section in big. is provided with contact R, S and T which have brushes 1", .5- and i the contact fingers and S bein fixed on but insulated from the shaft m while the contact finger T is fixed on but insulated from the shaft 7L3. As shown in Fig. 1% the shaft UP/3 is hollow and formed of insulating material and turns on the shaft. a. T he contact finger it is provided with a spring tongue Z which normally rests on top of contact finger S, thereby establishing electric connection between the contact fingers 1t and S, which connection is broken when the contact finger T, which, shov n in Fig. 15, is formed with a beveled upper surface, is brought under the spring tongue Z by the revolution of the shaft N. The rush P. of contact finger r is connected by a line 7 with solenoid M, from whence line T leads to contact plate G; the brush of contact fin 'er S is connected to ground 7) by a line 9 and the brush 25 of contact finger T is connected to an electro-magnet t by a line 4 vhich is continued from said electro-magn t to ground 2. The line 8 leading to brush 7.1 of contact finger Z2 is continued from the brush 2' of contact finger 2" to and through a solenoid t and thence to the contact plate G alongside the track.

The operation of the station appurtenances shown in Figs. 8, 11 and 18 is as follows When brush G contacts with plate G and finds ground through circuit 8S, see 8, the magnet 7) attracts armature b and breaks circuit 2-2 for magnet b for safety. if such ground is not found then such circuit 2-2 remains intact, see Fig. 11 and magnet Z) attracts lever 25 to cut the notor out of circuit 1l to stop the car or train. At the same time when the brush C contacts 'ith plate G a ground is made through station ground 6'43 to step the circuit breakers. Meanwhile when such contacts are made the semaphores are actuated to danger and safety position in the following manner. W hen the brush C of the car contacts with plate G and the circuit tl'irough line 8 is complete to ground through contact fingers 7c, 2", the solenoid t is energized and drawing in its core elevates the semaphore T to danger position, in which position it is retained by the catch on armature 2 At the same time the solenoid N is energized to top the contact finger is away from contact finger z" to break the ground through line 88 and the same time the contact finger T is moved out of contact with the spring plate Z thus opening circuit on line 7 and the magnet t and allowing the ari'nature t to hold the semaphore in the position to indicate danger. When the plate Z is allowed to descend and contact with contact finger S as above described the circuit of line 7--9 is completed to ground and so remains as long as the contact finger T is out of contact with plate Z. Following trains ing at plate G before the leaders have passed off the block or station find no ground through line 8-8 and are stopped, the raised semaphore also indicating danger ahead. As the trains pass off of the section or block the contact of the engine brush C with plate G steps the contact 2" at a rear station toward the contact finger 7L and when the last train has passed off the block this operation has resulted in bringing contact fingers 7c 2" together so that both are in contact with pin 7i thereby establishing circuit to ground through line S8 for a following train and at the same time estab lishing ground through line 77, energizing magnet and allowing the semaphore to drop and indicate safety.

in Fig. 16 the shifting lever 79 for the engine brushes is shown under the control ofthe regulating and reversing lever B for the motor preferably through the medium of a slot 72 having a neutral point and mounted on a shaft on the engine as shown in Fig. 17. in Fig. 18 such lever 79 is shown actuated by a cam or worm on the axle of a car or engine, and in Fig. 19 such brushes are shown moving in an arc of a circle when shifted. F shows the contact plates and brushes constructed for a rolling contact, the brushes may have the roller or rollers and the plates be flat or vice versa.

1 do not confine myself to the construction and ar'angement of parts as herein shown and described as the same may be variously constructed and arranged without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It will be noted that the motor car shown is an electrically propelled one, and the circuits therein controlling the switches or power-controlling devices for the motor are in a shunt from the latter, thereby dispensing with any electric supply or power apart from. that which propels the car.

in this application I do not confine myself to any pa ticular arrangement of shunt circuit and magnetic devices therein, nor to the number and rrangemcnt of the contact brushes on the car and the contact-plates on the line of way, and in this respect this application differs from concurrent pending application Serial No. 404,148 in that special constructions and arrangements of said equipments are shown, described. and claimed.

What I claim is:

l. A railway having station electro-mag netic appurtenances, electric connections and contact plates located adjacent to the line of way, a motor car having an electric motor a source of electric supply and circuit connections between the motor and supply including a power controlling switch and an additional circuit including electro -magnetic devices for controlling the power controlling switch for the motor, substantially as described.

2. An engine or motor car having a partial circuit including an electro-magnet, electrical switch and contact brush, an armature lever for said magnet, and a shunt or divided circuit including an electro-magnet controlling said switch, and a contact brush for said shunt, substantially as described.

A railway having station magnetic appurtenances, contact plates and circuit connections, an engine having divided circuits including magnetic appliances and contact brushes in both circuits, and a circuit breaker in one of the said circuits controlled by a magnetic appliance in the other, substantially as described.

4t. The combination, substantially as deried by-the vehicle and connected with said scribedywith an electrically propelled 7ehicle and a driving motor therefor, of a manual device acting on a controlling switch for governing the speed or power of such electric motor, an electric switch governing the action of said motor and controlled independently of said manual device and irrespective of the'position of the latter, an electro magnet governing said switch, and means upon the permanent way for bringing said magnet into operation when the car or vehicle passes a given point.

(3. The con'ibination, with an electrically propelled vehicle and its propelling electric motor, of acting on any suitable controller for governing the speed or movement of said motor at will, an electric switch governing the circuit oi? said motor, means for automatically bringing said switch into operation without any manual operation on the vehicle when the said vehicle passes a given point in its route, single device, and actuating means therefor controlled through the medium of said switch.

7. The combination, substantially as described w'th an electricallypropelled vehicle and its propelling motor, of a hand lever acting on a controlling switch for governing the speed or power 01" said motor, an electric switch controllable independently of said hand lever and irrespective of the position 01 the latter for governing the action of said motor, an electro magnet governing said switch, and said switch controlling the circuits of an electric brake, as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination, substantially as de scribed, with an electrically propelled vehicle and its propelling electric motor, of a manual device such as a handle, acting on suitable electric controlling apparatus for governing the speed or movement of the motor at will, an electric switch controlled independently of said manual device, and governing the circuit of said motor, an electro magnet carried by the vehicle and governing said switch, and means upon the road bed or permanent way for governing the circuit of said magnet.

9. The combination, substantially as described, with an electrically propelled vehicle and its propelling motor, of a manual device such as a handle acting on an electric controller for governing the speed or power of said motor, an electric switch governing a circuit of said motor and controllable independently of said manual device, an electro magnet energized from the road bed a manual device such as a handle,

when the vehicle passes a certain point thereon for governing said switch, and --a braking appliance brought into operation simultaneously with'the action of said independently controllable switch, as and for the purpose described.

L). The combination of a permanent way, a vehicle movable thereon, motive appliances for propelling the vehicle, controlling mechanism for said motive appliances, an electromagnetic device for operating said controlling mechanism, a circuit for actuating said electromagnetic device, a contact brusn for said circuit, and a contact in the line of travel of said brush and'with which the brush makes contact to actuate said electromagnetic device and thereby efiect movement of the controlling mechanism of the motiveappliances, substantially asset forth.

11. In an electrically operated railway having a supply'wire or wires, electrically actuated station appurtenances operated by a passing motor car, two series of contacts along the line of way and each connected with station appurtenances in front of and behind the same, contact devices carried by the car and adapted to coact withsaid contacts, and power controlling and reversing mechanism also carried by the car, said controlling mechanism being adapted to be antomatically actuated substantially as described.

12. A motor car having an electric motor, and circuit connections with a source of power, a regulating and reversing switch in said circuit, a controlling switch, connections for the motor, a shunt or branch circuit from the line or course of supply and including a resistance switch, electromagnetic devices for operating said controlling switch, contact brushes and contacts along the line of way adapted to be engaged by the contact brushes, substantially as set forth.

13. A motor car having an electric motor line supply circuit therefor, including switch D, shunt or branch circuit including a resistance switch E, elect-ro-magnetic devices for controlling said switch D, -a contact brush carried by said car, and contact plates along the line of way adapted to be engaged by said brush, substantially as set forth.

14. In an electrically operated railway having a supply wire or wires, electrically actuated station appurtenances operated by a passing motor car, in either direction of its movement, two series of contacts along the line of way and each connected with station appurtenances in front of and behind the same, contact devices carried by the car and adapted to co-act with said contacts, and regulating and reversing mechanism also carried by the car and electrically connected with the contact devices, said controlling mechanism being adapted to be automatically actuated when the station electrical appurtenances are in an abnormal condition, substantially as described.

15. An engine or motor car having an electric motor, a source of electric supply, a regulating device for controlling the motive power, a reversing device, circuit connections, a shunt or branch circuit including electrounagnetic devices for said regulating device, contact brushes and devices con trolled by the forward and backward movement oi the car for automatically changing the line of travel or contact of said brushes, substantially as described.

16. In an electrically operated railway having a supply wire or wires, electrically actuated station appurtenances, two series of contact plates along the line of way and each connected with station appurtenances in front of and behind the same, a brush on the car making contact. with either of said series of plates, a controlling switch for the car motor, and an electro-magnetic device in circuit with said brush for operating the controlling switch when the electrical station appurtenances are in an abnormal condition, substantially as described.

17. In an electrically operated railway having a supply wire or wires, electrically actuated station appurtenances, two series of contact plates along the line of way and each connected with station appurtenances in front of and behind the same, a brush on the car making contact with either 01' said series of plates, a controlling switch for the car L motor, means controlled by changes in direction of movement of the car for shifting said brush, and an electro-inagnetic device in. circuit with said brush for operating the controlling switch when the electrical station 

